no title fudge

I threw this together while the family was at church today (still home with Fern). I plan on making it again with more ingredients so that it is measurements.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips

nutella

sweetened coconut flakes

raisins

sea salt

melt nutella and chocolate chips in a double boiler. (I used probably 6 oz chocolate chips --one cup-- and  few tbsp nutella, just what I had left in the jar)

once melted, stir in 1/4-1/2 c. coconut, and the same amount of raisins

put into dish to set, topping with sea salt before placing in fridge.

I find it is easiest to cut if you score it about half an hour after placing in the fridge.

(I will be making this again with the standard fudge base of butter, chocolate chips and marshmallows, then adding the nutella, coconut and raisins.

Momma Jane's Reuben

Submitted by Casey Van Camp...taste tested and deliciously approved!

Ingredients:
We are assuming you are making several so might as well get enough ingredients!

1 loaf of pumpernickel-rye swirl bread
1 package of saurkraut
1 bottle of thousand island dressing
1 package of corned beef
1 package of swiss cheese
1/2 stick of softened butter


Directions:
These directions are for 1 sandwich...make as many as you want!


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees


2. Take 2 pieces of bread, butter the outside of each (like grilled cheese sandwichs) and place those butter side down on a cookie sheet


3. Spread thousand island dressing liberally on the inside of each piece of bread (don't forget the edges)


4. Place a slice of cheese on each piece of bread


5. Place slices of corned beef on ONE slice of bread (up to you how much meat you want!)


6. Pile a nice even layer on top of the corned beef (quantity up to you, just keep it even)


7. Close up that sandwich!


8. Put it in the oven for approx. 10 minutes or until golden brown


Enjoy with some pretzels!

French Window Quilt

finished dimensions 58"x78"

Supplies:

SANITY
inspiration
friends that will help you problem solve
youtube and blog tutorials
rotary cutter and mat

So this quilt has been on my to-do list since high school. I had all the yellow squares and little blue squares cut. I picked them up in November 2010 when home for Grandpa Brisson's 90th birthday extravaganza and have been looking at them ever since.


Each yellow block has 4 pieces sewn together, making the yellow "blocks" about 8.5" finished, and the little blue ones are about 2" finished (The white sashing between blocks is also 2" finished).

The quilting is really simple-- just straight lines presser-foot distance from the sides. I would have liked to do more, but I need more practice. Also, the lines work nicely on this quilt, which was a bonus.

Grandma Brisson's Potato Casserole

Submitted by Amber Vernon (from Grandma Brisson)

Ingredients:
8 cups (2.5 lbs) cubed potatoes (I'd used peeled Yukon Golds)
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
8 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp onion powder
paprika
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Boil the potatoes in water for about 25-30 minutes or until fork-tender.

2. Mash the potatoes, Miracle Whip, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and onion powder (in addition, I'd go ahead and use a hand mixer to get them smooth too).

3. Put in a 1.5 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle paprika over the top of the potatoes.

4. Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Gravy!

So, I completely invented this recipe today, and it turned out rather well. I wanted to bring something different to Nick's law school Thanksgiving potluck, and while pondering on what was in my pantry, the idea of pumpkin gravy popped into my mind. I had never heard of such a thing, but I figured someone else probably had a great recipe out there. I searched, but the only non-Indian food style pumpkin gravy I saw was this really weird sounding stuff from Food Network. Pumpkin sage gravy? With bacon? Blech! I thought it sounded super gross. Since nobody had anything tried and true that looked appealing, I made up my own! Try it out for your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast. It's tasty over mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, you name it. Hooray for the marvelous pumpkin!

Pumpkin Gravy
by Linda Peterson

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour (4 tbl or half a stick)
1 (15oz) can pure pumpkin puree
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 tsp paprika
Heaping 1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt (if needed--it depends on how salty the broth is)
1/2 water or more, depending on your desired consistency

1. Measure the flour. Measure the chicken broth. Have both standing ready. In a sauce pan over medium/high heat, melt butter; don't allow to burn. Immediately when melted, begin to shake in the flour a bit at a time, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon to thoroughly incorporate and form a roux. Don't allow to burn.
2. Lower to medium heat. As soon as butter and flour are mixed, gradually add chicken broth, constantly stirring to mix well.
3. Add pumpkin and spices gradually as well. Lower heat a bit if mixture seems to be losing too much moisture.
4. Mix in at least 1/2 cup water to thin the gravy. If you want it even thinner, gradually add more water, thoroughly mixing after each little addition. Go slowly so as not to overthin and dilute the flavors. This is a thick gravy.
5. Taste. Add 1/4 tsp salt and a dash more pepper if your broth was perhaps not salty enough.
6. Bring to the dinner table and glob it all over your plate and ENJOY!

MILK TOAST

Submitted by Marcia Van Camp
Originally created and taught by Grandma Arline Brisson

When I learned it from Grandma, nothing was really measured, so I have never measured anything when I make it either.

Ingredients

Milk (I have used fat free to whole and there is not much difference)

Butter or margarine (1 stick or 1/2 cup)

Salt

Pepper

Sugar

French bread / baguette style - cut in approx. 1-1 1/2 inches wide

Directions

1. In a large pan, melt the butter and brown it...basically it means you cook it but not burn it. I would say put the heat on medium high and move the pan around to move the butter so it doesn't burn. This is the most important step b/c it affects the flavor...everything else is easy from here. In dark pans it is hard to see if the butter is brown so sometimes I would get a spoonful of it to take a closer look.

2. Once the butter is perfect, pour some milk in...I have never measured it, I usually just put in enough to fill 3/4 of the big pan...with enough room to dip the bread without spilling.

3. Turn the heat down to like medium low. You don't want the milk to boil over.

4. Add 1/4 cup of sugar

5. Add 1 tsp of salt

6. Add 2 tsp of pepper (this is approx. I usually measure the pepper by...are there enough black
specks in...and then I add a ton more.) Usually the browned butter + the pepper gives it that yummy kick.

7. When the milk is warm, put a piece of bread in the pan. Depending on how deep it is, you can dunk it with the spatula or whatever you need to do to get it all wet. Just a few seconds...careful not to let it fall apart.

8. Put it in a bowl or something that can catch the liquid.

9. Keep repeating until all the bread is gone...serve with syrup!!

YUM!!!

Pepitas! aka Pumpkin Seeds

Submitted by Marcia Van Camp
from: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/10/pepitos/









Ingredients:
Pumpkin seeds from a carved pumpkin
Olive Oil
Salt (table salt)

Directions:

As you gut the pumpkins, keep all the seeds—and guts—in a bowl.

Throw them into a colander and rinse them under cold water, pulling away the chunks of pulp as you go (you don't have to be extremely thorough)

Spread the rinsed seeds out on a baking sheet.

Allow the seeds to dry several hours or overnight. And beware: they’re quite sticky/slimy, so don’t place them on paper towels! Just leave ‘em on the baking sheet and they’ll be fine.

When they’re nice and dry, go ahead and preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Begin by drizzling the seeds with a couple teaspoons of olive oil.

Use your fingers to toss the seeds around to coat.

Then salt and season the seeds to taste.

Pop ‘em in the oven for an hour or so, until the seeds are light golden brown.

Let them cool for a few minutes…then let the snacking begin!

Pepitas need to be stored in an airtight container if they last beyond the first day.